Hydraulic valve operating mechanism operable to vary valve lift and valve timing



y 1952 I J. c. BARNABY 2,602,434

HYDRAULIC VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM OPERABLE TO VARY VALVE LIFT AND VALVE TIMING Filed March 29, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 IN V EN TOR.

JAMES C.BARN-ABY J. c. BARNABY 2,602,434 VB 0 RATING MECHANISM OPERABLE VAL IFT AND VALVE TIMING 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 July 8, 1952 HYDRAULIC VAL TO VARY Filed March 29, 1947 JAMES C.BARNABY I IN VEN TOR.

Patented July 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PAT ntr HYDRAULIC VALVE OPERATING MECIIA- NISM OPERABLE T VARY VALVE LIFT AND VALVE TIMING r 1 James C. Barnaby, Short Hills, N. J -assignor to -Worthington Pump and Machinery Corpora ition, Harrison, N. J a corporation. of Delaware Application March 29, 1947, Serial No; 738,188

- liquid delivered bya suitable pump -and wherein theipump' will always deliver the: sameamount of fluid per'strokeand the stroke: of the valve operating plunger will alwaysrbe constant forany given adjustment thereof v The present invention also.:comprehends;the provision of means to compensate for any leakagein; the system of the apparatus scans to prevent interierencein the accuracy of-i-operation ofethe valve.

"Other objects of the present-invention are: the provision-of means whereby the time of the beginning-ofthe stroke or movement of the valve operating plunger and the mechanism operated thereby may be varied and controlled. without changing the'length of the strokerof the operatingplunger; means wherebythe stroke. or length 4 Claims. (01. 123--90) of movementrof, the operating plunger may be varied and controlled without changing the time ofthebeginning of itsmovement, and a hydraulic valve operating mechanism as-above-referred to wherein any' combinationl of time of the beginningxof movement or-stroke of theoperating plunger and the stroke-ordength of..movement offthe plunger maybe accomplished independently of each-other. Y

With these; and other objects in view, as; may appear from the accompanying specification, the inventioniconsists. of various features of construction and combination oiparts, which will be first described; in connection with the accompanying drawings,- showing: a. hydraulic? valve operating mechanism iota pref erred: formr embodying' the inventiom and the. features forming the invention will be specifically pointed lout in the claims;

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view partly in section of the improvedhydraulic valve operating mechanism.

Figure-2- isa cross sectionttaken on the line 2-2" ofFigure 1L it 'F-i-gure 3-;is' across section takenon the line 3-3 or -Figure-"1, 2 I

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view partlyin section of a modified form of the improved hydraulic valve operating mechanism. 1 1 v I Referring more particularly tothe drawings, the improved hydraulically operated valve operating mechanism includes a pump cylinder I in which? a pumping plunger 2 is-reci-procated by meansof a camxS-and a push rod-4'. The'enlargedhead. 3" of. the pump plunger'Z-is engaged by a spring 5' which'movesthe plungers2 to its lowermost: position-wherein the liquid inlet port 6 to the pump: cylinder-l is uncovered. The liquid inlet port- 6 is connected by a conduit =1 to the bottom of "axliquid-reservoir 8. 'I'he liquid upwardly suificiently toclosethe inlet 6-,:into'the cylinder. ill of the valve operating structure. The operating cylinder lfl'has a'plun'ger Hr mounted therein which is'forced downwardly by-the'kpressure fluid enteringlthe operating cylinder "I t. and in its downw ardmovement it will move the: valve stem-12' and the valve: ['3' oh its seat to open the valve. A spring 14 serves to "hold the valvestem against the wear the operating plunger ll and this sp'ri'ngalsoexerts a pressure to force the operating plunger l l. upwardly in the" operating cylinderilfl" until such. upward movement of the plunger is" arrestedbyengagement of the stop collar l 5? thereon against"the"'stopi shoulder l 6 formed on the cylinder H); I r

. The operating cylinder {ii llwhich; contains the valve actuating plunger 1 l has'ai dischar'gezport l1 therein'located a'predeterminedfldistance above the stop shoulder. I6 and. thi's' discharge port isluncov'ered' as th'eqoperating plunger moves outwardly oridownwardly to permit the discharge of the operating pressure fluid fromthe: cylinder HI, relieving: the" plunger of' the pressure f of the operating "fluid and. limiting" the stroke; of the plunger and the valvelift. The'outletiport-ll is' connected by a. conduit [8 to the: reservoir 8.- so

that all liquid delivered by the pump plunger 2 inexcess of the displacement of the operating plunger H may return to the reservoir 8 'forreuse and since the reservoir 'isopen through theconduitl: to the inlet fi'of the pump: cylinder I the (not shown) may be employed for cooling the liquid. 7

The stop collar I5 and the shoulder ,IB are so located that the clearance between the valve stem I2 and the operating plunger II is the minimum practical when the valve I3 is on its seat.

In operation, when the pump plunger Z'moves inwardly or upwardly in the pump cylinder I under action of the cam 3 and the push rod 4 liquid will discharge through the inlet port 5 back into the reservoir 8 and some liquid will also be discharged into the conduit 9, and no pressure will be built up in the pump cylinder I until the pump plunger 2 has moved sufiiciently to close the inlet port 6. After the inner or upper end of the pump plunger Z has closed the inlet port 6 further movement of the pump plunger will force the liquid in the pump cylinder I from the cylinder through the conduit 9 into the" operating cylinder I and move the valve operating plunger I I,'which is otherwise held in its .uppermost'o'r innermost position by the valve stem I2 and spring I4. As the operating plunger II moves outwardly or downwardly under pressure of the liquid forced into the cylinder I0 of the pump plunger 2, it will move the valve I3 until the operating plunger II uncovers the discharge port I1 at which time pressure of the liquid in the cylinder I 0 is released and any further liquid delivered by the pump plunger 2 will flow through the cylinder Ill and conduit I8 into the reservoir 8 and there is, consequently, no further movement or travel of the operating plunger II and thus the valve lift or the opening movement of the valve will be constant regardlessof the quantity of liquid delivered by the pump plunger 2. The pump cylinder I and the pump plung er 2 are so constructed and proportioned that a surplus quantity of liquid under pressure will be delivered to the operating cylinder I0 so as to compensate for any leakage of liquid in the system and will insure constant stroke or length of movement of. the operating plunger at all times. -When the pump plunger '2 reaches the end of its outward or upward travel, the operating plunger II will remain substantially stationary in the position with its inner end at the discharge port I! until the pump plunger 2 begins its return stroke under action of spring 5, when the pump plunger 2 is relieved of the outward forcing movement of the cam 3 and push rod 4. As the pump plunger 2 recedes the valve operating plunger II will move inwardly or upwardly under action of the spring I4, towards its inner position, displacing fluid or liquid backward through the conduit 9 into the pump cylinder I until the stop collar I engages the stop shoulder I 6.

By locating the inlet port 6 to the pump cylinder I so that the displacement volume of the plunger 2 above the inlet port 6 is greater than the displacement of the plunger I I in the operating cylinder I0 during its stroke from its inward or stop position to the position at which it opens the port H, the valve operating plunger II will always make its full stroke, but no more, because the extra volume of liquid delivered by the pump plunger 2 will be discharged through the dis-- charge port I1 and conduit I8 back into the reservoir 8. If there is any leakage in the pressure side of the system betweenthe pump plunger 2 and the operating plunger II it will not affect the stroke or operation of :the valve. operating plunger I I unless the leakage is greater than the difference in the displacement of the pump plunger 2 between the port 6 and its extreme travel and the operating plunger H and its inward travel to the position which will open the port I7.

In some installations it may be desired to vary the lift or opening of the valve I3 and to provide such variance the inner or upper end of the operating plunger I I is out at an incline or in a plane at an'angle to the axis of the plunger as is shown at 28 in Figure 1 of the drawings. The plunger II is rotatable in the operating cylinder i6 and the stop collar I5 has a keyway or groove ZI cut therein which receives the feather or key 22. Thefeather or key 22 is carried by a rotatable ring 23 rotatable in the enlarged lower end 24 of the cylinder II]. An operating handle 25 is attached to the rotating ring or sleeve 23 and extends outwardly through a suitable opening26 formed in the enlarged extension 24 of the CYlil'l-r der I0 and thus by moving the handle 25 the plunger II maybe rotated'so thatthepdistance the operating plunger II moves outward before. it uncovers the port" I! is shorter'or longertpas desired. The lever 25 is limited in' its scope :of movement by the ends 21 of the opening 26. The ring 23 is held in positionby' a removable screw ring 28 and the ring-23 is of sufiicient width so that the feather 22 will remain in the slot or keyway 2I during the entire stroke of the plunger I I.-

The, slantor angular degree of the inclined end 20 of the plunger I I may be madesuch as to give any desiredrelation between the rate of-axial motion to the rate of angular movement. With the arrangement as shown, the time when the lift or movement of the valve I3 begins is constant in spite of variation of the timing when the motion of the valveends orvariation of the time when the port I! is opened to discharge.

For the purpose of varying the time when the lift or opening of the valve I3 begins, the-pump plunger 2 has its inner or upper end inclined or out at an acute angle to the plane of the-axis of the plungeras shown at 30 and this plunger 2 is rotatably mounted in the pump cylinder I and has a groove or keyway 3I cut in the perimeter of its head 3. The groove'or keyway 3I receives therein a feather 32 carried by a sleeve or collar 33. The sleeve or collar 33'is rotatably carried in the lower enlarged end 34 of the pump cylinder I and it has an operating arm 35 connected thereto. The operating arm 35 extends through an opening 36 in the enlarged end 34 of the pump cylinder I and by movement of this lever 35 the sleeve or collar 33 may be rotated to rotate the plunger 2 to vary the time atwhi-chthe inlet opening 6 is opened and closed during reciprocation of the plunger 2. The slant or 'degreeof theangle of incline of the end 30 of the plunger Zmay be made such, as to give any desired relation between the rate of axial motion to the rate of angular motion.

From the foregoing it would be apparent that the time of the beginning of the movement of the valve operating plunger I I and the valve stem I2 and valve I3 may be varied and controlled Without changing the I length of the movement or stroke of the plunger I I, as its strokeis controlled :byT-th-e opening of the port 'l'l-"by the inclined .top 'of the operating plunger H.

It will also be apparent that the amount of movement or the length of the stroke of the operating plunger Il may be varied and controlled without changing the time of the beginning of its movement and also that any combination of the time of the beginning of the movement of the operating plunger I l and the amount of its movement or length of its scope may be accomplished independently of each other. I

Figure 4 of the drawings shows a modified-form of the invention which differs from the f'orm shown'in Figures 1 to "3 ofthe drawings primarily 'in'the fact that the modified'form of theihVention doesnot provide adjustable means for varying and controlling the timeo'fthe beginning of movement of the operating plunger or adjustable means for varying and controlling the length of the stroke of the operating plunger.

The modified form of the invention includes a pumping cylinder i in whichds mounated a pumping plunger 2 having an enlarged head 3 on its lower end. The head 3 reciprocates in the enlarged end A of the pump cylinder l and is engaged by a spring 5 which is tensioned to move the pump plunger 2 to its lowermost position and hold the head 3 in contact with the operating rod 1*. The operating rod I is moved by a cam 8 upon rotation of the cam 8 to move the plunger 2 upwardly in the cylinder l The pumping cylinder l has its inlet (i connected to a reservoir 9 through a conduit Ill and it has its discharge port ID connected through a conduit l I with the inlet port l9 of the operating cylinder l2 of the valve operating mechanism l3 An operating plunger M reciprocates in the operating cylinder l2 and its lower'or outer end engages the valve stem [5 of the valve I6 for moving the valve I6 into open position upon downward or outward movement of the plunger I l A spring I! moves the valve 6 to closed position and moves the plunger Hi to its upward or inner position upon relief of pressure of pressure fluid against the plunger M.

The discharge port 18 of the operating cylinder I2 communicates with the reservoir 9* through a conduit 20*.

.The proportioning and relative movements of the parts of this modified form of the invention are such that it operates in exactly the same manner and performs the same functions as the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, excepting only that it does not embody the adjustable features as referred to in the first paragraph hereof which refers to this modified form of the invention.

It will be understood that theinvention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of parts shown, but that they may be widely modified Within the invention defined by the claims. I

What is claimed is:

1. In a hydraulic valve operating mechanism, a fluid reservoir, an operating cylinder having an inlet and a discharge port in spaced relation to said inlet communicating with said reservoir, an operating plunger slidable in said operating cylinder normally maintaining said discharge port closed, an inclined end portion on said operating plunger, means for rotatably adjusting said operating plunger to vary the time of opening of said discharge'port by the inclined end portion of the operating plunger for regulating the stroke ofssaidoperating plunger, a pump-structure insure fluid to saidginlet' for the operating'cylinder and anxinlet port 'commu'nicatin'g with said fluid 'reservoir -to allow fluid :to. new to said 'cylindergand means for intermittently operating ."said' pump plungeryandsaid pump'cylinder so constructed and proportioned that the tquantity of'fluid discharged by th'e' pump on each operationwillbe greater than the capacity of said operating cylinder above the discharge port thereof.

2. In a: hydraulic valve operating mechanism, a fluidreservo'in apump structure including a pump cylinder, apum'p plunger slidable 'in said cyliridenand means for intermittently operating said pump plunger; said pump cylinder having an inlet port commuriicating with said fluid reservoir and a discharge outlet, an operating cylinder having an inlet connected to'said discharge outlet, a discharge erson said operating cylinderin spaced relation to'said 'i'nl'et communicating with said fluid reservoir and so constructed and arranged with respect to said inlet that the quantity of fluid discharge from said pump structure is greater than the capacity of said operating cylinder between the inlet and the discharge port, an operating plunger slidably mounted in said operating cylinder, an inclined end on said operating plunger, resilient means for normally forcing said operating plunger inwardly of said cylinder, a stop means on said operating plunger for limiting the inward movement, and means for rotatably adjusting said operating plunger to vary the time of opening of said discharge port by said inclined end of the operating plunger for limiting the outward movement of said operating plunger during operation of the pump structure.

3. In a hydraulic valve operating mechanism, a fluid reservoir, an operating cylinder having an inlet and a discharge port in spaced relation to said inlet communicating with said reservoir, an operating plunger slidable in said operating cylinder normally maintaining said discharge port closed, an inclined end portion on said operating plunger, means for rotatably adjusting said operating plunger to vary the time of opening of said discharge port by the inclined end portion of the operating plunger for regulating the stroke of said operating plunger, a pump structure in- ,cluding a pump cylinder and a pump plunger slidable therein, said pump cylinder having a discharge outlet for discharging operating pressure fluid to said inlet for the operating cylinder and by, the pump-0n each operation will be greater than the capacity of said operating cylinder above the discharge port thereof.

4. In a hydraulic valve operating mechanism, a fluid reservoir, a pump structure including a pump cylinder having an inlet port communicating with said fluid reservoir, a pump plunger slidably mounted in said pump cylinder means for intermittently reciprocating said pump plunger in said cylinder and a discharge outlet for said pump cylinder, an inclinedfiuid displacing end on said pump plunger, means for rotatably adjusting said pump plungerto vary'the time' of closing of said'inlet port by the inclined fluid displacing end of said pumpplunger, an operating cylinder having an inlet connected to said discharge outlet, a discharge port' for said operating cylinder in spaced relation to-said inlet communicating with said fluid reservoir and so constructed and arranged with respect to said inlet that the quantity of fluid discharged from said pump structure is greater than the. capacity of said operating cylinder between said inlet and said discharge port, an operating plunger slidable in said operating cylinder, an inclined end of said operating plunger, means for rotatably adstop member about the operating plunger to limit th inward movement of said operating plunger.

JAMES C. BARNABY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1 1,623,177 Funderburk Apr. 5, 1927 1,883,980 Lang Oct. 25, 1932 1,994,223 Leveque Mar. 12, 1935 2,011,864 Lundh Aug. 20, 1935 2,326,883 Pierce et a1. Aug. 17, 1943 2,396,392 Schreck Mar. 12, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,523 Great Britain May 21, 1914 739,000 France Oct. 24, 1932 748,426 France 1 Apr. 18, 1933 

